Authenticity is the first thing that hits you as soon as you step into the doors of Pansang's Filipino Cuisine.
Chula Vista is home to many great Filipino locations in San Diego County, but this restaurant believes that its food distinguishes itself from all other competitors in the city.
In a city where the Filipino community is constantly growing, Chula Vista has become a mini version of the Philippines, which has led to the birth of many restaurants such as Pansang's cuisine that offer a variety of options that display Filipino authenticity.
According to the American Community Survey(ACS), there are over 31,000 locals of Filipino background living in the Chula Vista community, a number that has sky-rocketed and benefited local businesses since the 1940s, in large part due to the contribution of Filipino immigrants through the decades.
These growing numbers have benefited all of San Diego County, in particular the city of Chula Vista, which has been positively impacted by places such as Pasang's in recent years.
At the Eastlake Village Center, you can find Pasang's Cuisine, a popular Filipino destination that is widely known as a beloved cuisine that offers authentic meals. The restaurant has been operating in this Chula Vista location for now 14 years, and its success is a result of pure authenticity and overall inclusiveness for all families walking through those doors.
But it's not only Filipinos who fill up the location ready to enjoy their meals.
Jerome Bautista, the restaurant owner, says that it's also Latinos storming through the place every week wanting to have Pansang's most popular dishes and desserts.
Bautista believes that the similarities between both cultures are what makes their dishes so popular for Latinos. From religion to family-togetherness, Jerome says there's a unique correlation between both groups of people that makes Latinos an important demographic for their business in Chula Vista.
"Filipinos and Latinos relate in many ways, religion, family tradition, the family culture. We both love having parties, we both love to eat all together, we both love to share what we have with anyone, especially with family members. And in this manner, Latino people connect with each other the same way we do." Jerome said.
If you haven't given Filipino food a shot, look no further, as this place offers dishes such as lumpia, one-of-a-kind noodles, and most importantly, adobo. Filipino restaurants cook their adobo in various different ways, but Jerome says that Pansang's adobo is the taste you are looking for.
As much success this restaurant has seen, it has also taken some hits along the way. Just recently at the beginning of 2020, Pansang was on the verge of expanding its business elsewhere in San Diego County, but the 2020 COVID pandemic hit the restaurant unexpectedly, stalling the restaurant's plans going forward. However, Jerome says that the stall on these expansion plans is only temporal.
For South Bay residents that consider the Eastlake area a bit too far of a destination, local residents could potentially have a Pansang location further down south of the region.
"We were planning to branch out, but the pandemic stopped that, and we have set away from the plan of branching out. But once everything becomes stable, then we will focus on that once again," Bautista said in regards to the restaurant's future. "We will probably start looking into branching out near the Southern border," he added.
When asked about his restaurant's customer experience, Jerome says that new customers never remain "new" customers. The Filipino restaurant owner says that once you enter Pansang and try their food, he confidently knows he will see your face again in the future.
It's not only the quality of food, he says, but also the welcoming environment provided by the restaurant's staff behind the counter.
From the service to the hard-working hands that craft an authentic dish to satisfy your cravings, Jerome is confident that Pansang's is a food experience you have been missing out on if you haven't yet visited.
"You’re simply missing out. In my experience, the first-timers here always end up coming back. It’s never a one-time experience for them, they keep coming back because they feel comfortable, we entertained them with the questions they ask regarding what we are cooking," said the owner.
And just as a heads up, Jerome says that if you run into someone who says he or she didn't enjoy what Pansang had to offer, don't believe them and see for yourself instead.
"We tell them what it is, and once they try it, they love the taste of it. If you were to ask them if they liked it and they say "no", they are lying to you." Jerome says jokingly(but also serious).
